Aquatic toy



March 1, 1938. J HANSEN 2,109,531

AQUATIC TOY Filed Oct. 5, 1936 2 Shets-Sheat 1 A? /4 AZ /0 John Han/6e20- March 1, 1938. J HANSEN 2,109,531

AQUATIC TOY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5, 1936 Jafin 5 4716.21!

Patented Mar. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES AQUATIC TOY John Hansen, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 5,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to toys and more particularly to a toy consisting of a tow boat and a boat to be towed behind the tow boat.

One object of the invention is to provide a tow boat of such construction that it may be set into the water and caused to travel outwardly at an angle by a person walking along the bank of a body of water, control of the boat being effected by means of a control line held by the operator and connected with the boat.

Another object of the invention is to so connect the control linewith the boat that it may be shifted longitudinally of the boat from a position adjacent the bow of the boat to a position adjacent the stern and thus cause the boat to reverse its direction of movement.

Another object of the invention is to so connect the tow line with the tow boat at the opposite side thereof from the control line that the tow line may also be shifted from one end of the tow boat to the other when direction of movement of the tow boat is reversed and the towed boat maintained in its proper position in following relation to the tow boat.

Another object of the invention is to provide the tow boat with line-engaging members which will serve not only to permit the control line and the tow line to be shifted longitudinally of the boat but also cause the tow boat to remain upon an even keel.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a tow boat having depending keels spaced from each other transversely of the tow boat and of such formation that the tow boat will move easily through the water and assume such an angular position that it may be caused to either move away from the shore or towards the shore.

Another object of the invention is to provide a boat wherein a portion of the deck rail may be adjusted to provide an arm extending transversely from the boat and serve as means for engaging a free toy boat or other object floating upon the water so that the floating object may be retrieved and brought to shore.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a view showing the improved tow boat in side elevation,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the boat,

Figure 3 is a view looking at the bottom of the boat,

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic View showing the boat moving in one direction and towing another boat after it,

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic View showing the 1936, Serial No. 104,107

tow boat moving in an opposite direction from that shown in Figure 4, and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which the tow boat may be ,employed to retrieve a boat or other object floating upon the water.

The tow boat which is indicated in general by the numeral I has a hull 2, the deck of which is bordered by a rail 3, a section of which at one side of the boat is formed separate from the remainder of the rail. This section 4 of the rail fits snugly into place between ends of the remainder of the rail at one side of the boat and near its ends is formed with openings through which extend threaded stems 5 carrying winged nuts 6 so that the rail section can be drawn upwardly off the stems and then reengaged with one stem and swung outwardly so that it provides a retrieving arm, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2 and shown in Figure 6. By tightening the winged nut of the stem extended through the rail section, the rail section or retrieving arm may be firmly secured in the adjusted position and prevented from turning about the stem after being set. The other nut will be replaced upon its stem so that it will not become lost. A cabin 1 has been shown rising from the hull and supporting a pilot house 8 and a smoke stack 9. Therefore, in the present illustration, the boat has the general appearance of a tug boat or motor driven barge, but it is to I be understood that the cabin, the pilot house and the smoke stack are unimportant features and may be omitted if so desired. Yokes Ill and l l which are formed from thick wire or light rods extend longitudinally of the hull at opposite sides thereof and have their end portions bent toward the hull to provide arms 12 and I3 terminating in feet through which screws or equivalent fasteners M are passed to firmly secure the yokes to the hull. The yoke II is of greater length than the yoke I0 and formed of thicker material. Therefore, it will add greater weight to this side of the boat and cause the boat to ride upon an even keel when it is in use and controlled by a line l5 held by the operator who walks along the shore. This line has its outer end connected to a hook or clip l6 which is slidably engaged about the yoke l9 and may slide freely along this yoke from one end to the other. A similar hook or clip I! is slidably engaged with the yoke l so that the tow line l8 may be connected with the yoke and a boat l9 towed after the tow boat. Hooks 20 are screwed into the side rail of the boat adjacent opposite ends of the yoke II and the tow line may be detached from the boat 19 and engaged with the hook if so desired when the boat I9 is not in use. Keels 2| which extend longitudinally of the hull project downwardly therefrom adjacent opposite sides of the hull, and upon referring to Figure 3 it will be seen that ends of the keel are curved, as shown at 22. The curved ends of one keel extend in the same direction as the curved ends of the other keel. Therefore, water slipping along the two keels will apply transverse pressure thereto in the same direction and the tow boat may be caused to move at an incline away from the shore either at the angle shown in Figure 4 or that shown in Figure 5. Headed pins 23 are driven into lower edge faces of the two keels so that a child playing with the boat may draw it across a polished floor without scratching the floor and screw eyes 24 are screwed into the rail at the front and rear ends of the boat so that a line for drawing the boat across the floor may be attached to either end thereof.

When this toy is in use, the hook l6 of the control line is engaged with the yoke l and the boat placed in the water. The hook I! of the tow line is engaged with the yoke II and as the operator walks along the shore with the control line held above the water the tow boat will assume the diagonally extending position shown in Figure 4 and move outwardly from the shore as it progresses forwardly. When it is desired to reverse the direction in which the tow boat is traveling, it is merely necessary to slacken the control line so that a portion of it will drop into the water and momentum of the tow boat will carry it forwardly and cause the hook IE to slide to the rear end of the yoke ill. The boat I9 will also move forwardly and as the operator walks along the shore in the opposite direction, as shown in Figure 5, the tow boat will first move rearwardly, as indicated by the dot and dash line 25 in Figure 4, and then assume the diagonally extending position shown in Figure 5. During this movement the hook of the tow line will slide to the forward end of the yoke II and the boat l9 will turn, as indicated by the line 26 in Figure 4, andfinally assume the position shown in Figure in following relation to the tow boat which will now be moving rearwardly instead of forwardly. By drawing upon the line instead of letting it out, the tow boat will assume a position horizontal to the shore. By manipulating the control line as previously described, the tow boat may also be caused to zig-zag its way back to the shore.

While Figure 4 and 5 show a boat l9 towed by the boat l, the boat l9 may be omitted, in which case the tow line may be released from the boat l9 and engaged with the hooks 28 or the hook of the control line may be detached from the yoke l I. In view of the fact that the yoke II is longer and heavier than the yoke til, it will impart added weight to the opposite side of the boat from that carrying the yoke It and the added weight will prevent the drag of the control line from causing the boat to list transversely. Therefore, the boat will be kept upon an even keel.

In Figure 6, the boat has been shown in use for retrieving a free boat or other floating object 26. When so used, the control line is connected with the yoke l0 and the rail section 4 released from one of the stems 5 and swung outwardly about the other stem so that it projects laterally from the boat. The boat is then placed in the water and its movement directed by the control line until the boat or other floating object 26 is engaged between the boat I and the projecting arm or rail section 4. The boat will then be brought back to shore and since the boat 26 is confined between the arm 4 and the hull of the boat I, it will be brought to shore with the boat I. If the boat 26 is in open water, the arm or rail section 4 may be released from either end if desired but if the boat 26 is near an obstruction such as that indicated by the numeral 21 the rail section must be secured in such a position that its free end will be directed toward the end of the boat I approaching the boat 26 from open water.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An aquatic toy comprising a buoyant body, keels depending from said body in spaced relation to each other transversely thereof and having their end portions formed with surfaces curved toward one side of the body, and yokes extending longitudinally of said body and secured against opposite sides thereof with one yoke shorter and of lighter weight than the other and adapted to have a control line slidably connected thereto.

2. An aquatic toy comprising a buoyant body and keels depending from the body and extending longitudinally thereof in spaced relation to each other transversely of the body, ends of said keels having surfaces curved toward one side of the body.

3. An aquatic toy comprising a buoyant body, a rail for said body, a portion of said rail being removably mounted and adapted to be secured in position to project from one side of the body, and means for connecting a control line with the other side of the body.

4. 'An aquatic toy comprising a buoyant body, a rail for said body having a removable section extending longitudinally of the body at one side thereof, stems carried by said body and extending through end portions of the rail section, detachable fasteners carried by said stems whereby upon removal of said fasteners the rail section may be detached from the stems and replaced upon one stem in position to project laterally from the body at one side thereof, and means for connecting a control line with the body at the other side thereof from the removable rail section.

5. An aquatic toy comprising a buoyant body, a rail for said body extending about margins thereof and having a removable section extending longitudinally of the body at one side thereof, securing means for the rail section adapted to secure the same in place in position to extend longitudinally of the body or laterally of the body in outwardly projecting relation thereto, and means for controlling movement of said body through water.

6. An aquatic toy comprising a buoyant body, keels depending from said body and extending longitudinally thereof in spaced relation to each other transversely thereof, said keels having their lower edge faces in the same plane whereby the body may be supported upright when resting upon the keels, and means for connecting a control line with said body.

JOHN HANSEN. 

